A 70-year-old female presents to the emergency department triage with a noticeable facial droop and garbled speech.

After having a few drinks at a local seafood restaurant, the client’s husband noticed his wife’s speech became difficult to understand.

The triage nurse does a rapid assessment of the client.

1915: Client arrives via personal car to emergency department with facial drooping and garbled speech.

Click to highlight the data that indicate the client is in need of immediate health interventions.

Choice A rationale:

Observing body language and movement is a valuable method for assessing pain, but it may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the client's pain experience. Clients may have different ways of expressing pain, and verbal communication should also be considered.

Choice B rationale:

Identifying effective pain relief measures is relevant but does not assess the quality of the pain itself. It focuses on pain management rather than pain assessment.

Choice C rationale:

Providing a numeric pain scale is a useful tool for quantifying pain intensity, but it does not assess the quality of pain, which is essential for understanding the nature of migraine headaches.

Choice D rationale:

Asking the client to describe the pain is the most appropriate approach for assessing the quality of pain. It allows the client to express the characteristics of the pain, such as its location, intensity, duration, and any associated symptoms, which can aid in diagnosis and treatment planning.

Choice A rationale:

Asking questions in a vague, non-specific format is not the best approach for addressing intimate partner violence. This approach may confuse the client or make them feel uncomfortable, as they may not know what specific information the nurse is seeking. It is essential to use clear and direct communication when addressing sensitive issues like intimate partner violence.

Choice B rationale:

Beginning with questions that are less sensitive in nature is the preferred approach when interviewing a client about intimate partner violence. This allows the nurse to establish rapport and build trust with the client before delving into more sensitive topics. Starting with less sensitive questions can help the client feel more comfortable and willing to share information about their situation.

Choice C rationale:

Getting the most difficult questions over with first is not the best approach when addressing intimate partner violence. Starting with the most challenging questions may cause the client to become defensive or unwilling to cooperate. It is essential to build a therapeutic relationship before discussing sensitive topics to ensure the client's emotional safety and willingness to disclose information.

Choice D rationale:

Sharing personal values to put the client at ease is not an appropriate approach when addressing intimate partner violence. It can be perceived as unprofessional and may compromise the objectivity and neutrality of the nurse in providing care. The focus should be on the client's needs and concerns, not the nurse's personal beliefs.